Safety Instructions For Working With Epoxy Resin

Something that we will always emphasize and never consider an overstatement is how important it is to be safe when working with epoxy resin. Today, we’re going to discuss essential things to be mindful of during your epoxy resin crafting adventures. You should always be aware of any safety instructions available with your resin products prior to use as well.

Be Aware of You

Sensitivity

At the end of the day, epoxy resin is a chemical. Among many things, this means that it contains components that you may be sensitive to or react to if you come into contact with them. Everyone has allergies, and it’s just as important to be aware of them when working with resin as it is when, say, you’re picking a restaurant to have lunch at or the kind of jewelry you want to wear.

Now, if you’re unaware of any sensitivities you may have with regards to epoxy resin, they might be something you discover during the process of using it. Alternatively, you can speak with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have. Either way, it’s essential to be mindful those possible allergies, to follow all the safety tips we have for you in this blog, and to follow all the instructions printed on our products’ labels.

Keep in mind that sensitivities can be preexisting or can develop over time.

Aptitude

In addition to being aware of your own sensitivities, it’s crucial that you can do what needs to be done to be safe. This ranges from carefully reading over the instructions and warnings provided with our epoxy to being able to measure out the portions of the product correctly. If the components are measured incorrectly, your final product’s cure is affected, which means it will not be as safe.

Personal Protective Equipment (or PPE)

When it comes to keeping yourself protected around epoxy resin, there are a few pieces of equipment that are absolute must-haves. These include safety glasses, gloves, clothing that covers your skin, and a respirator. We’ll talk about each of these items in more detail below.

Safety Glasses

Protect your eyes from epoxy resin by always wearing safety glasses while working with it. In the event that you stir your epoxy resin too quickly and cause some to splash out of your container, you’re going to be grateful to have something keeping your eyes safe. 

Gloves

Avoiding contact between your skin and epoxy resin is always the best practice, which is why gloves are a must. While creating with resin, your hands are constantly going to be in close proximity to the material, so it’s important to keep them safe. We also recommend using disposable gloves to keep the resin from seeping through the glove material and ultimately coming into contact with your skin.

Clothing that Covers

Again, it’s all about minimizing the contact that the epoxy resin has with your skin. Cover as much of your body as you can and make sure you still remain comfortable. It’s great practice, for example, to wear close-toed shoes while working with resin.

Respirator

Wear a respirator to avoid inhaling particles and organic vapors. This is especially true in less ventilated work environments and when you’re doing any sanding that involves resin.

Work Environment

There are several things to consider when you’re setting up a work environment for an epoxy resin projects. Be aware of how much space you have to work with, how much ventilation the room allows, and how much air flow can occur. Depending on what your workspace looks like, it might be a good idea to wear certain PPE more frequently. We recommend not letting animals into your workspace either.

As far as knowing what PPE to wear in your particular workspace, it never hurts to be extra safe! In areas that are less ventilated or smaller, it’s best to go the respirator route. You should always wear gloves and safety glasses as well.

The ideal workspace is a larger area, with high airflow, that’s well-ventilated. However, if you’re in a small space with little to no ventilation or airflow, this isn’t ideal and will probably require respiration-wear constantly. When we speak about ventilation, we’re referring to ways that you can make the room you’re in like less of a container. Having windows and garage doors to keep open will help improve the ventilation in the space.

Talk to Us at ProMarine Supplies

If you have any questions related to safety practices around epoxy resin, don’t hesitate to ask! You can take a look at frequently asked questions from our customers or contact us through our website.

If there’s another topic related to epoxy resin that you’d like us to discuss, send us a message! We’re happy to discuss anything you may have questions about.

Until next time, happy crafting, and stay safe!